LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Many in the Lexington community are mourning the loss of influential artist Patrick J. Mitchell tonight. Mitchell was an award-winning photographer, actor, playwright, and more, with his work seen and heard widely across the city and beyond.
The more you look into Mitchell's body of work, the more accolades and accomplishments you find.
"He came to work for us for a while as a production manager, but he was also a very busy performer and photographer," said Mark Royse, the executive director and general manager at Radio Lex.
His titles also included co-founder of Radio Lex, where his camera work lines the walls and his unique sound echoes through the halls.
"His show 'Kiss of Lyfe' was one of the first shows that Radio Lex carried," Royse said. "It really reflected his philosophy; he just had a really amazing heart for the community."
That heart could be found in how Mitchell supported young artists' careers.
"I actually got to meet Patrick in 2018, I had auditioned for a play, and he was one of the judges," said Kiah Arnold, a production tech with Radio Lex. "I kept hearing someone say, 'She's an actress, she's an actress!' and then I realized he's talking about me."
Arnold went on to produce Mitchell's podcast 'I'm Too Old for This' at Radio Lex.
"I think it brought a lot of comedic relief," Arnold said.
Arnold said he was always positive and brought a breath of fresh air into the room. So, in this space and others, Mitchell's loss will be felt acutely, but he won't forgotten.
"It's not just the arts community, it's not just the black community - it's Lexington," said Arnold. "We're going to miss him so much around these parts"
Patrick Mitchell was 66. Radio Lex will host a tribute show for Patrick j. Mitchell's "Kiss of Lyfe" show on Friday, September 20th. The show - featuring highlights and Mitchell's favorite tunes - will air from 1 to 6 p.m. on WLXU 93.9 FM.
We also spoke with Mitchell's son, Maxwell, who announced a celebration of life for his father at the Lyric Theatre the following day, Saturday, September 21st, with doors opening at noon.